WILDOMAR -- Leo Donnelly has always had a love for books, so when it was time to decide on his Eagle Scout project, he knew he wanted it to involve a library. So the 17-year-old Temescal Canyon High graduate chose to plant shrubs outside Mission Trail Library.

"I've always been coming to libraries," Leo said. "The other libraries (in the area) are pretty well established. This is a new one. So I asked the librarian (Jennie Jackson) what she needed. They have a good selection of books, so she asked me for a planting project."

Leo planted three palm trees and 15 shrubs along the fence line in the parking lot of the library on Mission Trail.

Leo was able to get discounts on the plants and late last year got about a dozen people to help plant the shrubs and add to a drip line to keep the plants watered.

"It's the first time I did a large-scale planting project," Leo said, adding that part of the project involved a bucket brigade to prepare the soil for planting.

"I was pleased he chose Mission Trail Library and helped beautify our parking lot," Jackson said. "We want people to feel that this is their library."

Leo has been a Scout for five years. He is a member of Troop 99.

He graduated from Temescal Canyon on Wednesday and plans to attend Webb Institute in New York.